To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms local involvement networks are expected to use to co-ordinate their work with those responsible for discharging local authority health overview and scrutiny functions. (270439)

The formal mechanism for local involvement networks (LINks) to interact with local authority overview and scrutiny committees (OSCs) is through the referral of relevant matters to the OSC. The OSC must acknowledge referrals from LINks that concern either health or social care matters within 20 working days and keep LINks informed about actions they might take, if any, with respect to those referrals.

It is good practice for LINks and OSCs to build and maintain good working relationships and less formal ways of working together over and above the use of formal referrals. Guidance on how LINks and OSCs might work together has been produced and is available on the NHS Centre for Involvement website at:

www.nhscentreforinvolvement.nhs.uk/index.cfm?Content=196.